Compilations of Recommendations In order to sustain food security worldwide and help adapting to climate change, plant breeding work must be maintained to play as the central role. Realizing that most people’s food security depends on locally produced food and that adaptation is local, plant breeding must be decentralized and, when appropriate be devolved to the level of local communities. The meeting discussed the shortcomings of the current systems, identified priorities and pointed to strategic opportunities to meet the identified gaps:

Gaps

1. Sufficient and appropriate germplasm is not adequately available for all stakeholders:

Seed systems need to be improved and seed regulations reviewed relative to functions and needs at the community level,

Stakeholders may lack information about existing germplasm that could be valuable source materials in local plant breeding.

2. Insufficient capacity to manage germplasm:

More sustainable systems of research and extension linkages facilitating interaction between stakeholders are needed.

More networking and partnership in developing new PGRFA and varieties is also needed.

There is lack of trained people for utilization and management of PGRFA.

3. Inadequate access to information and technology

Popularization of information around the treaty and its specific details in forms best suited to the target audiences is needed.

Breeding-relevant information on PGRFA is not accessible for all users.

Existing information, technology, and capacity are not put to effective use.

Contracting Parties to provide technology and capacity.

Appropriate transfer of technology (including knowledge and skills) between actors within and between different communities, countries and regions– South-South, South-North and North-South.

Information on consumer preferences is also lacking.

Lack of technology for utilization of PGRFA, including techniques for prebreeding, breeding activities, and for the development of new PGRFA or new varieties, as well as seed technology.

Priorities:

Strengthening access to appropriate plant genetic resources

Improving access to information about materials with relevant characters

Strengthen plant breeding capacity at all levels

Promoting cooperation between stakeholders to use genetic resources more effectively and efficiently

Strategies:

1. Strengthen decentralized plant breeding capacity for adaptation to local growing conditions and the demand in local markets, including appropriate involvement of farmers by;

2. Increase support for treaty Focal Points in contracting parties – through FAO and other bodies at country and regional level;

to increase priority to the work of the Treaty at national level;

to improve linkages with other bodies, programmes and institutions that provide similar or complementary services.

3. Organize an intersessional ad hoc, working group, including CPs, representatives of international small-scale farmers’ organizations, NGOs, and others on an equal footing, that will define a framework for the implementation of on-farm / in situ conservation and sustainable use and development of PGRFA.

4. Establish stakeholder network at regional level as a platform to absorb the benefit of available information, technology and capacity. This should be driven by programs based on study on regional needs and the view of stakeholders on how they can take advantage of this new scheme.

Para peserta Workshop on The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture: Benefit-sharing in the Multilateral System, Hotel Santika Bogor, 9-11 Maret 2010.